DG BOB LAUNCHES BOOK AT DCA 2016

RYLA JUNIOR YOUTH CAMP
By Patricia Miria Mbabazi
The 3 day camp took place at Entebbe Scripture Union Camping Grounds from 3^rd – 5^th March 2016. Many important personalities came to address the youth from different Interact Clubs including my own Our Lady of Africa Namilyango, erectile Kololo SSS, web SMACOL and many others.

It was my first time to see up close the Nabagereka of Buganda HRH Sylvia Nagginda. In her speech, the Nabagereka Sylvia Nagginda advised youth to be of good character and look out for others rather than being selfish. She said a good reputation would ensure a good future for the youth and invited adolescents to attend Kisaakate where they would be taught cultural and social norms and home management.

She implored the youth to share their knowledge with others saying “A candle looses nothing by lighting another candle’’
The other speaker at the camp, Mrs. Victoria Kisalale the Headmistress Gayaza High School spoke about the 5Cs of responsible adolescence which include;

1. Confidence building
2. Connection
3. Competency
4. Character
5. Contribution

Speaking about leadership opportunities in Interact, Rtn Gava Ibrahim explained the history of Interact and said it carried out humanitarian activities within the larger family of Rotary. He said Interact was not just about fun and games for the youth aged 12 – 18 yrs but about Service above Self. He said Interact Clubs were sponsored by Rotary Clubs which lend support in their governance but are largely self governing and self supporting. He said Interact helped expose youth to new ideas. He concluded with a historical quote from Martin Luther King: ’’If u can’t fly, then run. If u can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl but whatever you do, keep moving forward.’’

According to another speaker Mrs. Maraka Joy Veronica a responsible youth was trusted at his/her place of work, had self esteem and self worth, was destined to be a great leader as more opportunities opened up. She said morality was caught not taught and there was no right way to do a wrong thing. She also quoted Leo Buscaglia “Your talent is God’s gift to you, what you do with it is your gift back to God”
My most important learnings about leadership were:

1. That a person should have an upright and balanced character which is the key to success.
2. That character is determined by ones reputation for the future.
3. Leadership is more than the services a leader makes.
4. Good leaders look out for others more than themselves.
5. Leadership is not determined from ones qualifications for success but character.
6. Leadership can be learnt

RYLA was not just about the serious stuff about leadership development. There were fun moments such as physical fitness, jogging, sack racing and poetry. Also there was a dancing comp which was won by Team Red.
The overall winners were the Green Giants and they celebrated by cutting cake.
Patricia Mbabazi is a member of the Interact Club of Our Lady of Africa Namilyango (OLAN)

DCA 2016 CLOSES A GREAT ROTARY YEAR

D9211 Rotary year ended in style when DCA 2016 came to a colourful conclusion in Entebbe over the weekend. Luminaries from RI included Past RI Secretary General Futa, cheap Chair TRFBoard of Trustees Past RI Pres Klinginsmith, visit this TRF Trustee Sam Owori and PDGs. Delegates from Tanzania and Uganda but also Kenya, Nigeria and beyond Africa. As is usual in Rotary there was serious business for the 1600 Rotarians, Rotaractors, Inner Wheelers and RCC but also the fun side.

RI Presidential Envoy Edwin Futa recorded his first visit to Africa and described DCA 2016 as the grand banquet of hope. He said the world did not need food, but political will, to feed the hungry. He said Rotarians were the apps (applications) that turned communities into smart phones. He took the DCA opening plenary on a colorful humorous journey to his home state of Hawaii in USA.

PRI President Roy Klinginsmith paid warm tribute to TRF Trustee PDG Sam Owori for the expansion in size and exponential growth in numbers of D9200 that have made D9211 a leading District in Rotary International. He said Rotary in the west was losing 1% membership annually while Rotarians in D9211 had become “experts on membership growth and grants management”.

The ebullient Prof PLO Lumumba made a very passionate presentation about how Rotary fills a service gap left by the unfulfilled promises of most post independence governments in Africa. He appealed to Rotarians not to concentrate their projects in the major cities saying the rural areas was where need was greatest. “Africa can step forward to claim the 21^st Century as its century and bring itself to the dinner table of humanity as an equal partner” he said to loud applause. “He speaks like an OB of Mwiri” President Frederick Kibedi was heard to interject!

Then there was PDG Manek Geeta. Of all the top RI officials and Rotarians present at DCA 2016 none seemed to elicit as much personal affection as PDG Geeta Manek, Rotary Coordinator for Zone 20A (2015-2018). She was after all the first female DG for 9200! But she is also a very warm and affable person. PDG Manek personifies the passion with which women have embraced Rotary’s motto of Service above Self and the speed with which they have climbed the leadership ladders of Rotary the world over. There is no doubt that the phenomenal growth of Rotary is in large part due great women like PDG Manek.

She had her own doubts at the beginning, that was clear from her presentation about Women in Rotary, but she overcame them, stepped up, and delivered a good report card for herself and women in general. The warmth and personal affection for PDG Manek Geeta from “the boys” at DCA 2016 – PDG James, PDG Tusu, DG Bob, DCA chair Aggrey, DCA Head of Protocol Henry, DGE Harish was clearly special and heartfelt. She quoted RI President Robbie who said “Had we (men) not brought women into Rotary, we would not be where we are today” and talked about how the Rotary puzzle would remain incomplete till women took their place in Rotary. She urged women to break the barriers and tear down the walls. “Overcome your fear of failure and step forward when called to serve” she pleaded.

But who can forget the dinners and the dancing? Who can forget how Comedians Salvador and Alex Muhangi cracked our ribs with laughter on opening night? As usual Basoga bore the brunt of the jokes but President Kibedi was conspicuously in hiding and unable to defend his Kingdom.

DG BOB LAUNCHES BOOK AT DCA 2016
Entitled The Irrational People: Rotarians Pay to Serve, decease the 98 page booklet is a collection of articles written by Rotarians and Rotaractors on the various service projects their clubs have been involved in over the years. There is also a flash back of sorts, telling the story of the early days of Rotaract through the eyes of one of their own, DG Bob.
The book had its Foreword written by D9200 PGD Manek Geeta
DG Bob tries to make sense of the irrationality on the part of Rotarians that makes very important people in different fields such as Vice President Edward K Ssekandi (RC Rubaga) or Central Bank Governor Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile (RC Kampala Arch), his Deputy Dr Louis Kassekende (RC Kampala North) Supreme Court Justice Paul Mugamba (RC Muyenga), Chief of Defence Forces in Lt Gen Edward Katumba Wamala (RC Ssesse Is) put their big titles aside.

Not only are they are simply called Rtn Emmanuel, Rtn Edward, Rtn Louis or Rtn Paul to every member in the family of Rotary including those young enough to be their grandchildren and juniors at work but also to make time in their extremely busy schedules for project committee meetings or in the case of Rtn Louis to serve as his club’s Sergeant at Arms!

DG Bob sites another side to Rotarians that must surely seem irrational to everyone else outside Rotary. “How many people will leave their home in the capital city or wherever else on Saturday morning, fuel their car and drive to a distant district such as Lira (or Agago), sit in a meeting with a contractor for an upcoming community project, negotiate the best deal, make a financial contribution to the project, pay for their lunch and accommodation, miss (quality weekend) time with their family and drive back on Sunday?”

Though an eternal optimist, DG Bob does reluctantly concede that this irrationality is not widespread enough and might explain why Rotary has stagnated at 1.2m members worldwide for almost 20 years.

The book encapsulates the spirit of Rotary across Uganda and Tanzania, the new direction to bring youth to the centre of Rotary programming via Vijana Poa, raising the profile of maternal and child health. It summarizes what has clearly been a very exhilarating ride at the top of D9211 for DG Bob in the company of the warm irrational people who made it all possible. It is compelling reading and a strong PR tool that can be shared with non Rotarians as a way of increasing public knowledge about what Rotary really is.
Rtn John Bigyemano is the Chair, Public Relations/SAA, Rotary Club of Kampala Daybreak
The boat launch trips to Kalangara.
The bus rides to Kidera